The Austin Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Architecture provides a long-range plan for the deployment, integration, and operation of ITS in the Austin Region. The plan is required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in order to use federal transportation funds on ITS projects. Development of the plan also provides the Region with a framework for implementing ITS projects, encourages interoperability and resource sharing among agencies, identifies applicable standards to apply to projects, and allows for cohesive long-range planning among regional stakeholders in the Austin Region.

The Regional ITS Architecture update was led by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in close coordination with stakeholders throughout the Austin Region. Stakeholders included local, regional, state, and federal agencies representing traffic, transit, public safety, emergency management, and rail in the Austin Region. A complete list of stakeholders that participated in the update can be found in the Austin Regional ITS Architecture and Deployment Plan document.

In 1996 the Austin Region developed the Austin Area-Wide Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS) Plan and IH-35 Corridor Deployment Plan. This plan served as the predecessor to the first Austin Regional ITS Architecture, which was developed in 2002. The Austin Regional ITS Architecture was then updated in 2007, 2015, and again in 2019.

Updates of the Regional ITS Architecture are important because any ITS projects deployed in the Austin Region that use federal transportation funding must show conformance to the Regional ITS Architecture. By updating the Regional ITS Architecture, establishing project conformance is easier for agencies and helps ensure that the Austin Region remains eligible for federal transportation funding of ITS projects. The 2019 Austin Regional ITS Architecture was developed using Version 8.1 of the National ITS Reference Architecture and 8.1.67 of RAD-IT software.

The Austin Regional ITS Architecture was developed through three key steps:

Step 1 – Identify Existing ITS Elements in the Region and Document ITS Needs

Step 2 – Develop ITS Service Packages to Represent Existing and Planned Systems in the Region

Step 3 – Identify ITS Projects for Deployment in the Region to Meet ITS Needs

A stakeholder workshop was conducted in the Region, in addition to numerous stakeholder interviews, to develop an updated Regional ITS Architecture that is reflective of stakeholder needs. The resulting plan shows how ITS is currently deployed and integrated in the Region, as well as how stakeholders would like it to it to be deployed and integrated using the year 2040 as the planning horizon.

Comments on the Regional ITS Architecture can be sent by selecting the Send Your Comments button located on each page of the website. A list of the TxDOT and project consultant team members is also included under the Contacts tab on this website. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of these people for more information or questions on the Austin Regional ITS Architecture.